Bumble vs. Tinder: Which Is Best for Men vs. Women

Dating often feels like a male dominated game for a lot of reasons, but historically society has reinforced the idea that men are the ones who have to make the first move. However, with dating apps a lot of that has changed. We’re going to look at two dating apps Bumble vs. Tinder, to see how they work and who they work best for.

The premise of both apps is to swipe right and left on people you do and don’t like. Right for yes, I like this person and left for no, I’m going to pass. Once a match is made, you’ll can strike up a conversation. The difference between Tinder and Bumble is that Bumble requires women to make the first move and message first. Whereas Tinder allows either party to initiate conversation.

This may not feel like a major change, but despite how much the two platforms mirror each other they do result in different experiences for men and women. You may find that you prefer one specific app or maybe both.

Here a few things key differences on each app:

BumbleWomen: More control but more work.Men: More women, less work, but (you guessed it) less control.

Bumble has roughly the same number of male and female members, which means if you’re a guy, the odds are a little bit more in your favor than they are on Tinder where there are supposedly more men than women.

Women are often hesitant to start a conversation on dating apps, but by requiring them to message first, on Bumble the dynamic is shifted. Women also have a limited amount of time to message a match, so there’s more pressure to send a message and respond to guys right away.

If you’re a woman who likes doing the hard work of matching and messaging, then this could be great for you. However, one downside is that a lot of guys just say yes to everyone to up their chances of matching. Then they wait and see who messages them back, and decides then if they really like someone. If you’re a woman sending a lot of messages to men who aren’t messaging you back, it can get pretty annoying.

On the flip side, one downfall to providing only one gender with the ability to message is that there are fewing initiations overall. This could lead to making matches and then hitting a dead end or missed connection.

It’s worth calling out that Bumble, offers a pretty good hack for those who are willing to pay for it… Bumble Boost. With Bumble Boost you’re notified when someone swipes right on you; so for men this would mean they simply wait for women to swipe on them, swipe back, and then wait for the woman to message.

TinderWomen: More men, fewer rules, and less work.Men: Fewer women, fewer rules, and more work.

One great thing about Tinder is that you can message anyone at any time so long as you’ve matched with one another. There’s no timeline for you to strike up a conversation and there’s no need to stress that a match will expire before you think of something clever to say.

There are nearly twice as many men on Tinder as there are women. This can be beneficial for females, since it means you have more of a selection. However, it can also mean being bombarded with messages. If you’re a lady who likes not having to do the work of messaging and matching first, you can sit back, match, and then see who writes you. Just be warned that you may have to put more work into responding to all your messages.

For guys, you almost always have to make the first move and that means a lot more work for you. However, there aren’t timers and if you match with a woman, you know the ball is in your court, not hers, so you can message back and get things rolling whenever you want.

Tinder has been known more as the app people go to for hookups and if you’ve ever known someone who uses the app, you’ve probably heard a story or two. Members aren’t shy about opening up the opportunity, even it means saying so in their bio. Whether it’s a pick up line or someone cutting right to the chase, you are likely to experience this right out the gate.

Depending on what you are looking for online, these apps could both be beneficial. Tinder seems to be taken less seriously, while Bumble may offer something a bit more steady.

Though Tinder is known for its lack of serious members, the app has provided many people with dates and new friends, it’s an easy and light hearted way to meet people. Each person experiences dating differently and as the world learns to navigate online dating, so will you. Enjoy both apps and see what works for you. You’re bound to have your own unique experience on both Tinder and Bumble.

Freelance Writer

Shayla Ahrns discovered her love of words at a young age and hasn’t stopped writing since. An avid dater with a great sense of humor, Shayla considers herself a bit of a dating app expert and loves to share the woes of her love life. She has written her own blog over the years and self published a book of poetry in 2017.